Laugharne Delacorse

After exploring features of interest around Laugharne, this walk heads into the countryside and passes close to the grave of Dylan Thomas. The Wales Coast Path is joined and followed to Delacorse, then it leads through fields and woodland. Places associated with Dylan Thomas are seen on the way back to Laugharne. In his own words he ‘got off the bus, and forgot to get on again’.

Route detail

Distance: 2.9 miles or 4.7 kilmetres
Start location: The Grist, Laugharne
Start Grid Ref: SN 30116 10690
Start What 3 Words: breakfast.habits.nerd

Transport to the start

Parking
Parking at The Grist in Laugharne, but note that the car park can flood on an exceptionally high tide.

Bus
Daily bus services, except Sundays, link Laugharne with Pendine, St Clears and Carmarthen.

Train
None.

Map and GPX link

The circular route is marked in dark pink in the map image below. The purple flags show the start and finish point. View the route and download GPX link 'Laugharne Delacorse'

Detailed Route Description

1. Start at Laugharne, at the Green Banks car park or the adjacent bus stops at The Grist. Laugharne used to have a harbour where only a narrow tidal river now flows. Bear in mind that this whole area can flood on an exceptionally high tide. Follow the road inland and uphill to pass Island House and the entrance to Laugharne Castle. The 13th century castle saw plenty of conflict and was in ruins before Sir John Perrot restored it in the 16th century. Although he was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and had great influence in Wales and Ireland, he also made enemies easily, which was his downfall. Dylan Thomas used to spend time writing in a shelter in the castle grounds and briefly lived in the adjacent Castle House.

2. The nearby white building with a clock tower is the Town Hall. Read noticeboards that offer information about Laugharne and notable inhabitants, such as Madam Bevan and Griffith Jones. They were involved in the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the Circulating Charity Schools. Walk along the level Market Street towards Brown’s Hotel, which was frequented by Dylan Thomas. Turn right just before the hotel as signposted for the Dylan Coastal Resort. The road bends left, passes a cemetery then reaches the entrance to the resort. Keep to the left of the entrance to follow an enclosed, sunken path signposted for Dylan Thomas’ grave. Walk up the path and keep left at a junction, then follow the path downhill and it broadens to become a track, passing a house. A gate on the left of the track gives access to a cemetery, where Dylan Thomas’ grave is marked by a simple white wooden cross.

3. The track ends with a sudden steep drop and joins a narrow road. Turn right and climb steeply up the road, turning left to pass above the well-wooded churchyard of St Martin’s. Follow the road uphill past fields and turn left at a junction and soon afterwards reach another road junction. Turn right to walk uphill a little then keep right at a junction to join and follow the Wales Coast Path. Walk down a sunken farm access road to Delacorse. Horse-drawn carts carrying stone from quarries used to pass this way and cross the tidal estuary of the River Taf. Keep to the right of the buildings and go through a kissing gate into a field.

4. The Wales Coast Path runs through a field and crosses a footbridge to enter another field. Continue onwards through a wooded area, walk along the foot of a grassy slope and go through a kissing gate into more woodland. The path crosses a narrow road then rises and falls gently across a steep slope. (Note that this path was closed due to a landslip at the time of writing.) A tarmac path is joined and followed a short way to the Boathouse, which was the last house where Dylan Thomas lived in Laugharne before his death in 1953. It is open to visitors and 40 steps lead down to it and its cafe.

5. Staying on the tarmac path and passing above the Boathouse, Dylan Thomas’ Writing Shed is passed and there are fine views across the estuary of the River Taf. Continue along the path as it becomes broader, returning to the entrance to the Dylan Coastal Resort. Keep left and walk down a road that was used earlier in the day, passing a cemetery. Turn left down another road, passing Seaview, which was the home of Dylan Thomas from 1938 to 1940. It offers accommodation but is not open to the public. Turn left again down a road that very quickly becomes a narrow path. Continue along a path across saltmarsh at the foot of the stout stone walls of Laugharne Castle, to cross a small stone-arched footbridge and finish back at the car park. This last path can flood on an exceptionally high tide, in which case finish by retracing the earliest steps of the day along higher roads in the town.